• 'Lovely Runner' director Kim Tae Yeob praises Kim Hye Yoon's dedication on the set, "I admire her professionalism"

    Kim Tae Yeob, the director behind 'Lovely Runner', couldn't help but admire actress Kim Hye Yoon's dedication to her craft.

    On June 11th, Kim Tae Yeob joined Dongguk University's official YouTube channel to share some behind-the-scenes moments from the making of tvN's hit drama 'Lovely Runner'.

    During the discussion, Director Kim highlighted Kim Hye Yoon's commitment to her role. He revealed, "We got the script for episode 13 just a day before filming episode 2. We had to jump right into shooting episode 2, but we also needed to keep episode 13 in mind since these scenes had to be filmed together."

    He went on to recall a comment he saw online, saying, "Someone wrote, 'Did they shoot the endings of episode 2 and episode 13 on the same day? Is Kim Hye Yoon crazy?' I thought the same thing. Despite the 15-year age gap between us, I truly admire her professionalism."

    Director Kim also touched upon the production costs of 'Lovely Runner', emphasizing the financial challenges in the industry.

    "As the industry grows, the costs skyrocket, making the risks higher if a project doesn't succeed," he explained. "The production budget for 'Lovely Runner' was 20 billion won, which is typical for a 16-episode mini-series."

    'Lovely Runner ' tells the story of Ryu Sun Jae (played by Byeon Woo Seok), a renowned artist who finds renewed purpose in life, and Im Sol (played by Kim Hye Yoon), a devoted fan who travels back in time to save him.

    The drama has been breaking viewership records with each episode and has topped charts on platforms like Rakuten Viki, holding the number one spot for six weeks straight in 109 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

    Source[1]

  • Is Jisoo’s Acting the Main Problem in "Newtopia"? - Here's Why Fans Are Worried About the New Zombie Series

    The new OTT series Newtopia has faced mixed reactions, with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo's acting and a slow storyline making viewers question if the show can survive.

    Released on the 7th, Newtopia on Coupang Play promised to offer something fresh in the K-zombie genre. The drama follows an unlikely couple, Lee Jae-yoon (played by Park Jung Min), a late-blooming soldier, and his girlfriend Kang Young-joo (Jisoo), as they fight to survive in a zombie-infested Seoul.

    The mix of zombies and romantic comedy sounded like an interesting twist, but the show hasn’t exactly hit the mark.

    Jisoo’s second lead role after Snowdrop in 2021 was highly anticipated. But many fans and critics have been concerned about her acting, especially after she received some backlash for her unclear pronunciation and awkward expressions in her previous project.

    Director Yoon Sung-hyun, aware of the concerns, said at the press preview, “Since Jisoo hadn’t acted for a long time after her last project, I was also initially worried, thinking, ‘Will she be okay?’ But Jisoo dedicated herself, doing script readings four days a week. She worked hard, and as a result, I had no doubts or difficulties. By episode 8, you'll feel that only Jisoo could have portrayed Young-joo. She did an amazing job.”

    Despite his words of praise, Jisoo’s performance still left fans worried. While she showed some improvement, her portrayal of Young-joo seemed inconsistent, lacking the calmness expected from the character. However, her "girl crush" image, with her background as a "campus goddess," did add some intrigue to her role.

    The main issue, however, wasn’t just Jisoo's acting. Newtopia also struggled with its pacing. While other recent hits like Trauma Center or Trigger grab attention right from the start, Newtopia spent too much time in the first episode on Jae-yoon’s military life and Young-joo’s personal struggles, making it feel like a waste of time. The show failed to showcase the humor and zombie elements it promised, leaving many viewers unimpressed.

    On top of that, some characters came off as annoying, like Jae-yoon’s colleague, Line Ho (Im Seong Jae), and the "unlikable" senior character Seojin-wook (played by Kang Young Seok). Even Park Jung-min didn’t do much to help the show move along, making the 57-minute episode feel even longer.

    Thankfully, the show picked up pace in episode 2, finally diving into the zombie chaos. But will that be enough to save Newtopia? With the first episode still fresh in fans’ minds, the jury’s still out on whether this K-zombie drama can find its footing and deliver the thrills viewers are hoping for.

    The remaining six episodes of Newtopia will air every Friday at 8 PM, with one episode released per week. Stay tuned to see if the series can bounce back!

    Source (1)